Haunted America: 10 Sites With Paranormal Activity

Hey Tourist! Haunted houses are a heavily-sought out activity for many Americans looking to get a thrilling experience from the afterlife. Destinations from coast to coast have been popping up with their own claims of paranormal activity and unexplained events leaving employees and customers scared of the unknown. Although there are so many incredible stories and buildings to see, these following sites are the top 10 most intriguing and eerie places to experience hauntings from the USA.

Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania is the first spooky and most-definitely haunted destination on the list. An incredible history which dates back to July, 1863 and was fought between the Union and Confederate armies for three days. In this battle, known as one of the bloodiest on American soil, over 50,000 young men died valiantly for their cause. As a result of the casualties, there were many bodies from this battle that were not given a proper burial and left to decay. Many tourists and sightseers wandering these fields in Pennsylvania today claim to see the wandering dead soldiers at night, patrolling the fields. Many have deemed this particular place eerie beyond belief and as though there is something left unfinished.

Pine Barrens, New Jersey

Pine Barrens, a large expanse of forest in New Jersey, is another bone-chilling destination that has kept locals and tourists alike frightened for years. These woods may seem harmless from a distance, but once inside there is no telling what someone may see, hear, or feel. Pine Barrens was once a thriving sawmill and timber haven where companies cut and processed wood until new industries relocated workers leaving ghost towns and the myth of the New Jersey Devil, who is said to wander the woods. Some have claimed to have seen it, and it has been described to have hooves and wings, a sort of Frankenstein's monster if you will.

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

Eastern State Penitentiary, abandoned in 1970 is truly a striking experience for visitors that decide to take a tour in the building, either throughout the day or a night-time flashlight tour. Inmates spent their time entirely in isolation and guards would cover the heads of inmates with bags so that they could not see where they were being taken. Inmates here spent all of their time alone and guards would cover the heads of the inmates so that they couldnt see anything. Although old, this structure still holds its fortress stability and complexity, quite possibly a contributing factor as to why prisoners here would go insane. These halls and cells are most definitely eerie, but are they haunted? Many would argue yes, and plenty of visitors have left with life-changing experiences and stories of paranormal activity.

Asylum 49

Located in Tooele, Utah, Asylum 49 has a rich history and has housed many patients here since 1913, as it has assumed the role of an elderly home and also a hospital since the original owner left. Officially closed in the year 2000. Various patients which passed away within the hospital have been said to walk the halls and haunt any visitors that dare to wander through the building, either during the local Halloween events or a separate tour. One of the legends here is a nurse by the name of Maria who is surely there to haunt your every step. For those who make the brave journey through Asylum 49, they had better be prepared for an intense and life-changing night.

The Chelsea Hotel, New York, New York

Typically, buildings which are most commonly referred to as haunted are hotels, motels or hostels. But of all the hotels that have been deemed, too eerie to bare, the Chelsea hotel in New York, New York, has been heralded as among the worst for paranormal behavior. Chelsea was built in 1883 and has played host to plenty of stars, such as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and much more. Many horrible incidents have taken place within these walls, including death, suicide, and murder making many think the souls of those deceased have been wandering the halls and haunting rooms. If flickering lights, the feeling of being watched and creaky doors make you scared, this place is not for you.

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

Winchester Mystery House, located in San Jose, California, is another awe-strikingly horrifying building in the USA. This building has a deep history in the south, as it belonged to Sarah Winchester, the widow of the genius who invented the Winchester rifle, a crucial tool in the civil war. Construction started in the late 1800’s and went on for years, making it a constant work in progress. This building, however, is said to be haunted after Sarah attempted to make contact with her deceased husband through a medium, and supposedly unleashed haunted spirits. The fear is that the blood-bought by her deceased husband's creation, tainted the money used to buy and build the Winchester house, which has left it still haunted to this day.

St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida

St. Augustine Lighthouse is yet another haunted site from the USA, located on Anastasia island, Florida. Construction for the lighthouse took place in 1874, and has a dynamic history of innkeepers, as well as tragedies. An original innkeeper for the lighthouse went by the name Edward Pittee and had four children. One day, whilst work was taking place around the structure, the children were at play, tragically the children were caught under a cart, leaving the two oldest children to drown to death, while the younger children miraculously survived. However, this was not the only traumatic instance to take place at the lighthouse, and it is these horrible events that have left the lighthouse touched with an eerie and spooky feel.

Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, Massachusetts

For those familiar with the history behind the Salem Witch Trials, this next destination is one of the key buildings standing in Salem, Massachusetts and full of spooky stories. Dating back, close to 100 years, guests staying in rooms 325, as well as 612 have deemed both rooms the most haunted in the hotel, stating that it is common to hear howling baby cries in the middle of the night, as well as sketchy and unexplainable events, such as water faucets turning on and off, as well as twitching lights and more. For those who are eager to find a ghost, they need to look farther than the Hawthorne Hotel, but they better make sure that they are prepared for what’s to come.

Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado.

Stanley Hotel, a well-known structure in Estes Park, Colorado, has become quite the intriguing attraction for those who are interested in visiting an eerie hotel. In America, the Stanley Hotel is widely regarded as one of the most haunted hotels to attend, with a history that dates back to the opening day in 1909 when the founder, Freelan Oscar Stanley, arrived in the valley. Nightly tours of the haunted floors take place and provide an in-depth retelling of the big stories that took place over the 100+ years here. Tourists are also more than welcome to bring their photography equipment to try and capture some real-life paranormal activity, sure to give sightseers an experience that will last a lifetime, and then some.

Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Honolulu, Hawaii

Moana Surfrider Hotel and Spa makes for the last stop on this list of the scariest haunted places in the USA. The hotel has a history of being an eerie place with a lot of unusual activity which tends to be thought of as paranormal activity. However, the historical significance of this building is related to the suspicious death of Jane Stanford, co-founder of the infamous Stanford University. She was found dead while staying at the hotel following an attempt on her life back home. Guests and hotel employees alike have recorded multiple instances of the poor woman searching the hotel at night, perhaps in search of a killer, perhaps just to find her room. Regardless, the happenings in this spooky hotel makes for an intriguing story to tell, and experience to have.